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Learn Italian with Joy of Languages

44: The Complete Guide to the Italian Present Tense

Learn Italian with Joy of Languages

Joy of Languages

Education, Italian Podcast, Language Learning, Courses, Italian Lessons, Learn Italian

4.81.2K Ratings

🗓️ 13 May 2018

⏱️ 35 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Everything you need to know about using the Italian present tense!

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Today's Italian words and phrases

Pago = I pay

Pago un caffè = I’ll pay for a coffee (literally: I pay a coffee)

Prendo = I take

Prendo un caffè = I‘ll have a coffee (literally: I take a coffee)

Apro = I open

Apro il vino = I open the wine

Paghiamo = we pay

Paghiamo il caffè = we pay for the coffee (literally: we pay the coffee)

Prendiamo = we take

Prendiamo un caffè = let’s have a coffee (literally: we take a coffee)

We open = apriamo

We open the wine = apriamo il vino

Paghi = you pay

Paghi sempre = you always pay (literally: you pay always)

Prendi = you take

Prendi un caffè? = are you having a coffee? (literally: you take a coffee?)

Apri = you open

Apri il vino = are you opening the wine? (literally: you open the wine?)

Paga = he pays; she pays; you pay (formal)

Prende = he takes; she takes; you pay (formal)

Prende un caffè = he’s having a coffee; she’s having a coffee; you’re having a coffee (formal) 

Apre = he opens; she opens; you open (formal)

Apre il vino = he’s opening the wine; she’s opening the wine; you’re opening the wine (formal) 

Pagate = you all/both pay (you plural)

Pagate con la carta? = Are you all/both paying by card? (literally: you plural pay with the card?)

Prendete = you all/both take (you plural)

Prendete un caffè = are you all/both having a coffee? (literally: you plural take a coffee?)

Aprite = you all/both open

Aprite il vino = are you all/both opening the wine? (literally: you plural open the wine?)

Pagano = they pay

Pagano il caffè = they’re paying for the coffee (literally: they pay the coffee)

Prendono = they take

Prendono un caffè = they’re having a coffee (literally: they have a coffee)

Aprono = they open

Aprono il vino = they’re opening the wine (literally: they open the wine)

Capisco = I understand

Preferisco = I prefer

Preferisco il vino bianco = I prefer white wine

Preferiscono = they prefer

Preferiscono il vino bianco = they prefer white wine

Preferisci = you prefer

Prefersici il vino bianco o il vino rosso? = Do you prefer white wine or red wine?

Preferisce = he prefers; she prefers; you prefer (formal)

Preferisce il vino bianco? = Does he prefer white wine?; Does she prefer white wine? Do you prefer white wine? (formal) 

Preferiamo = we prefer

Preferiamo il vino bianco = we prefer white wine

Preferite = you all/both prefer

Preferite il vino bianco o il vino rosso? = do you all/both prefer white wine or red wine?

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Over the last few lessons, you've learnt everything you need to know about using Italian regular verbs in the present tense.

0:08.0

But how much can you remember? Test your knowledge and review what you learnt in episode 44 of 5 minute Italian,

0:15.0

the complete guide to Italian verbs in the present tense.

0:29.6

Ciao a tucy and benvenuti at Five Minutes Italian. I'm Katie.

0:30.6

And then Matteo.

0:31.6

Ciao.

0:32.6

And over the last few lessons,

0:34.6

Lessons 39 to 43,

0:36.6

you've been learning how to use regular Italian verbs in the present tense.

0:41.7

Today we're going to do a review of all these lessons so you can practice what you learnt

0:46.3

and use what you know to make useful sentences in Italian. Now this episode is going to be

0:53.0

quite a bit longer than the normal episodes,

0:56.4

because what kind of a complete guide would it be if it was only five minutes? And we wanted

1:00.9

to go more into depth in this episode so that by the end you'll have everything you need

1:06.8

to use regular Italian verbs in the present tense. To get the most out of this lesson, you should know that there are four types of verbs.

1:15.6

First, verbs that end in A-E-E-A-R-E, like Pallare to speak.

1:24.6

Second, verbs that end in E-, E-R-E, like

1:31.3

scriver to write, and third, verbs that end in I-R-E, like, like Dormire to sleep. The fourth kind is verbs like

1:47.0

Capire, which also end in I-R-E,

1:51.0

but these follow their own rules.

1:55.0

If you feel like you need a little refresh on these four groups,

1:58.0

you can go back and listen to episodes 39 to 43 before coming back

...

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